Friction-gearing having a compound release.



I. F. G'CONNUR.

FRICTION GEAR HAVING A coMPouNo RELEASE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.2, 19175. 1,227,821 Patented May 29,1917.

2 SHEETSL-SHEET I.

ATTORNEY IIJ I Q, O C D? 1X mN I I I I I I- @IMI E I .IIIIIIIIIII ...IHM NI NN N -I I I I I I -I Wy/ f \,d\ S N I I RI Sm N NNN, Sw \N ,L2/ UIIII .I I EN N L NN NNN @I @NNN N @Nam v NN N NN NN NNNN \N NNN NIN NQN WITNESS v l. F. O'CONNUR.

rmcnou GEAR HAVING'A coMPounD RELEASE. I v APPLICATION FILED SEPT, ISIS. I 1,227,821 2 I Patented May 29, 191,7.

2 SHETS-SHEET 2.

Y TTORNEY UNITED sTATEs PATENT oFEIcE.

JOHN F. OCONNOR, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR '1'0 WILLIAM H. MIN-EB, 0F y CHAZY, NEW YORK.

FRICTIQN-GEAR HAVING A COMPOUND RELEASE.

Specication offLetterslPatent.

Patented May 29, 1917.

ApplicationI led September 2, 191D. Serial No. 48,587. i

To all whom 'it may concern.'

cago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Friction-Gears Having a Compound Release, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being .had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in y friction gears having a compound release.

Heretofore, in the operation of friction gears it haslometimes happened that after a heavy pull has been transmitted to the gear and they parts operated to fully closed position, the tractive effort of the locomotive v isso great as to preventY the release of the gear after it has been fully compressed. When this condition occurs, the gear acts substantially as a solid member until the tractive effort diminishes to a point less than that at which the release of the parts of the gear is effected.

The-object of this invention is to provide a friction gear so arranged that a release of the parts willY always be certain, even though the tractive effort yof the locomotive remains at a maximum after a gear has been fully compressed. More specifically stated, the object of the invention is to provide a friction gear wherein the initial release of the gear after it has been fully actuated is effected by a spring of heavy capacity and one which approximates the maximum tractive eiiort of locomotives now in service.

The invention, furthermore, consists in improvements in the parts and devices and in the novel combinations of the parts and de` vices herein shown, described or claimed.

In the drawing forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of a draft rigging 'showing my improvements in connection therewith, the arts being at normal. Fig. 2 is a horizonte sectional view taken substantially on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, but showing the.

13 for the front follower 14. To connect the gear, proper, hereinafter described, with the draw bar I have shown a cast steel yoke 15 having a hoodedforward end to which the` draw bar 16 is connected by a coupler key` 17. At the rear of the gear there is provided a followerlS, and alltof thefparts are supported by saddle plates 19 19. i

The gear'proper, `as shown, consists of a combined rlction shell and springv cage A, having a friction cylinder portion 21 and spring cage 22. Coperable with the' friction cylinder 21 are friction shoes 23 and a wedge 24, there being a plurality of antifriction rollers 25 interposed between the wedge and the shoes. cage 22 is mounted a main spring consistin ofanouter coil 26 and an inner nested coi 27, said springsl being seated at their rear ends against an integral wall 28ofthe memkspring cap 33, which is'normally spaced from said shoulder 32, the latter limiting the telescoping action of the cap 33` and the extension 31, as will be understood. Interposed between the spring cap 33 and the integral wall 28 is a heavy preliminary compression spring34.

Forwardly of the friction cylinder 21,l the casting A is provided with a` cylindrical extension 35 which also vhas an internal shoulder 36, against which is seated a perforated plate or washer 37. Telescoped within the cylindrical extension 35 is a spring cap 38 which is' normally spaced from said plate 37, the latter limiting the inward movement of the spring cap. as' will be apparent from an inspection of Fig. 2, it lbeing understood that plate `37 is prevented from y inward movement by its engagement with the shoulder 36.

At its front end the cap 38 is provided with a. hollow inwardly extending boss 39,

"Within the y spring the inner face of which engages the outer confinedwithin the'spring cap 38 and cylindrical extension 35, is a heavy spring 41 of a capacity substantially approximating the tractive effort of locomotivesnow' in service. A bolt 42 extends through the gear in the manner shown, and serves to hold the parts in assembled relation and the springs under anginitial compression.

The koperation is a follows:

Upon outward or pulling movement of the draw bar, the main cylinder and spring cap 38 will remain stationary while the rear preliminary spring 34 is compressed until the spring cap 33 engages the shoulder 32. Upon continued forward movement of the 'draw bar, the spring cap 33 and casting A will move forwardlyfin unison,ithus compressing the preliminary spring 41. Simultaneously with the compression of the spring 41, it is obvious that the wedge 24 will be actuated by' means of the plunger locon'mtive, this" action will occur since the spring il is of such capacity to lovercome this pulling force. Upon expansion ofthe springatl, it. is apparent thatpressure on the wedge 24 is relieved and hence the friction mechanism can release under the influence of the main y,spring 26. Stated in another nianner,a compound release is effected by the spring 4l actingdirectly to separate the cap 38 and casting A, and by the main spring acting through the shoes, wedge', and plunger. Y

After' the spring il expands and the friction mechanism has been released, then the spring 34 will expand.

From the preceding description,'it will be seen that the gear which I have designed has a. very high releasing capacity, and the gear will always be released even though y a heavy pull is maintained after the gear has been compressed solid, thus always maintaining a true cushioning medium to absorb shocks.

Y `I have herein shown and described one form of my invention, but thel same is merely illustrative, and I contemplate all changes and modifications as come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I clam: l. In a friction gear, the combination .with a longitudinally movable friction shell,

`.friction shoes, a wedge, and al spring cooperable therewith, of a high capacit-y spring, a spring cap telescoped with respect to said shell, and a/plunger extending between said cap and said wedge whereby,

upon relative movement between said cap y and the shell, the friction mechanism is actuated and the high capacity spring is compressed independently of the friction mechanism.

2, In a friction gear, the combination with a friction shell, friction shoes coperable,

therewith, a wedge and a spring coperable with saidshoes and wedge, of a spring cap telescoped with respect to said shell, aplate mounted within said `shell and prevented from inward movement relatively thereto, and a high capacity spring interposed be-` tween said plate and said spring cap.

3. In a friction gear, the combination with a friction shell, friction shoes coperablev ment of the inner vend of said preliminary y spring with respect to the yfriction shell,

- whereby said preliminary spring is adapted to effectl a compound vrelease in combination with the main spring cooperating with thel i friction shoes and wedge.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 7th day of August, 1915. V

JOHN r. oo'oNNoR. 

